To the honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled. The petition of certain elected representatives and officers of Local Governments in Australia shows that

General revenue grants to Local Government under personal income tax sharing entitlements have increased by 8.2 per cent in 1983-84 over 1982-83.

The inflation rate over the same period was 11.2 per cent.

The increase in grants to State governments over the same period was 11.8 per cent.

Increased demands are being made on local government authorities to participate in Federal Government programs e.g. Community Employment Program.

The Labor Party made a pre-election commitment to allocate not less than the real value of the previous year's allocation in general revenue grants to local government.

Your petitioners therefore pray that the Government will amend the Local Government (Personal Income Tax Sharing) Act of 1976, to provide a real term minimum guarantee to Local Government general revenue sharing arrangements in 1983-84, and in future years.